New Scud on the block?

Linda Pearce

Troubled Bernard Tomic was a notable omission from this year's list of Newcombe Medal finalists, but the player who is never far from the headlines owes his latest page one appearance to an attention-grabbing Sunday drive in a bright yellow Ferrari. Mark Philippoussis, anyone?

The Gold Coast Bulletin devoted its Monday cover to Tomic's cafe outing with an unidentified male friend, noting that the world No. 52 "seemed oblivious to the entourage he picked up on his drive south – two helicopters, a police van and two media cars". He was, apparently, surprised when asked if he was aware of the kerfuffle the journey attracted.

The eight-cylinder $200,000-plus sports car sported SINCITY numberplates – presumably a reference to a Surfers Paradise nightclub of the same name, despite denials from club general manager Charlie Embley – but no P-plates, with speculation that 20-year-old Tomic may have graduated to an open licence.

Having sold the high-powered orange BMW M3 at the centre of his recent $1000 fine and good behaviour bond for Australia Day traffic offences, Tomic was reminded of his quip outside the Southport Magistrates Court last month. "In Europe I'd buy a Ferrari but here, public transport," he said, after having admitted to breaching his special probationary licence twice, driving over double centre lines and being found guilty of failing to stop for a police officer.

Under Queensland law, P-platers under 25 are banned from driving V8 cars, but Tomic had an exemption to drive the BMW for work purposes. So now, here he is, in a Ferrari F430 – owner unknown, but with memories of this quote from Philippoussis, circa 2005: "I'd got my first Ferrari by the time I was 20," said the dual grand slam finalist, "then it all went wrong in my life."